SALEM, Ore. (KATU) — As students head back into the classroom and the number of coronavirus cases continue to be high, health officials and education leaders are asking Oregonians to continue to take precautions to slow the spread of the virus.
Governor Brown said during a news conference Tuesday that officials have been able to cut the projected length of this surge because more people are wearing a mask and are getting vaccinated.
“Every action you take impacts how this plays out,” Governor Brown said.
When describing her visit to OHSU, the governor said the overwhelming majority of patients in ICUs are unvaccinated.
It is heartbreaking to see Oregonians on ventilators when vaccines have made hospitalization from this disease largely preventable. It is also a harsh reminder of the human toll this pandemic continues to have,” Gov. Brown said.
She went on to say that she knows many parents are excited for kids to return to the classroom full time, but at the same time anxious about the Delta variant.
“We all play a part in reducing community spread of this virus so our kids can have the best chance at a safe and normal school year.” the governor said.
Colt Gill, Director of the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) went on to explain ODE’s school health advisory.
The state agencies advise:
- All eligible youth and adults who come in contact with school-age children should vaccinate to reduce spread in the school community.
- Families with school-age children and educators should limit gatherings and non-essential activities with people from other households to the extent possible. If you are visiting people from another household, you should wear a mask, maintain a physical distance of 6 feet, and keep activities outdoors as much as possible.
- To the extent possible, schools and other organizations should reduce extracurricular activities and consider holding activities, such as meals, recess, physical education classes, music and choir, outdoors to maximize physical distancing. Likewise, if schools and other organizations proceed with extracurricular activities, they should consider holding them outdoors and implementing additional precautions like face coverings and physical distancing.
- Schools should hold beginning of the year family events (open houses, meet the teacher nights, etc.) online, rather than in-person. If events are held in-person, ensure all participants wear masks, hold the events outside, and maintain physical distancing of 6 feet to the degree possible.
- Families should check your school’s website or ODE’s Ready Schools, Safe Learners website to review your school’s Safe Return to In-Person Instruction and Continuity of Services Plan.
Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA State Health Officer and State Epidemiologist, spoke on the crisis hospitals are facing.
He went on to echo Governor Brown, saying an overwhelming majority of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.
"Our hospitals have reached the saturation point — where health systems are not able to provide care to everyone arriving at their doors," Dr. Sidelinger said.
He says the newest modeling shows encouragement. However, this is on the condition that more Oregonians get vaccinated and take other protective steps such as wearing masks.
"The decisions we make over the next few weeks will determine whether we plunge deeper into this crisis of care or we reverse this rising tsunami."
Dr. Sidelinger says he is confident in the safety protocols the Oregon Department of Education has outlined that promotes safety while giving students the opportunity to learn in person.
Dr. Dana Braner, physician-in-chief at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, said that the return to in-person learning is essential for their physical and mental health.
As a parent, Dr. Braner says he understands the stress that this new school year brings.
While severe illness in children with COVID-19 is unlikely, he says it is still possible that kids may transmit the virus to a vulnerable family or community member.
Doctors are still also learning about the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Dr. Braner asked community members to do their part to slow the spread of COVID-19 to give Oregon schools and kids a chance.
“We know that this is hard and this is tiring. But every mask, every vaccine, every attempt to limit gatherings is important. As the proverb goes ‘it takes a village’ and in this case it takes the entire state,” Dr. Braner said.
Watch the press conference in full: